Fresh Chili Peppers Category

Fresh Chili Peppers

Chilies = chile peppers = chiles = chilis = chillies = chili peppers = aji peppers (in South America and the Caribbean) can be eaten raw, grilled, or roasted. Chilies vary in heat as measured by the Scoville scale, and range from 0 for the mild bell pepper to 200,000 or so for the sweat-inducing habanero chili to 1,500,000 for the legendary Carolina Reaper. Individual varieties also get hotter and redder as they ripen.

Fresh chilies are usually milder than their dried counterparts. To tone one down, (1) put on some gloves and remove the seeds and ribs; (2) char it over a grill or flame, then remove any blackened skin; and/or (3) soak it in cold water or vodka.

Bell and Anaheim peppers are best for stuffing and jalapeno and Fresno peppers are commonly used in salsas.

Varieties:

This hot (40,000 Scovilles) chili originated in Peru and is a common usage in western South America. It is four inches long and yellow until it matures and turns red.

Anaheim chili, Anaheim chile, California green chili, california red chili

These large, mild chiles are perfect for chiles rellenos. Mexican cooks also like to dice or purée them, and then add them to sauces, soups, and casseroles. They have a tough skin, but it peels off easily if you first char the chiles over a flame and then steam them in a paper bag for several minutes. Anaheims are available year-round, but they're best in the summer. You can occasionally find red Anaheims, which are riper and slightly hotter. When dried, this pepper is called a chile Colorado.

These mild sweet peppers are from South America. They mature from green to red. The name bishop's crown is related to the distinctive crown like shape.

cayenne pepper - fresh, bird pepper, finger chili, ginnie pepper

cayenne pepper - fresh

These are often used in Cajun recipes. Green cayennes appear in the summer, while hotter red cayennes come out in the fall. They are very hot.

cherry pepper, cherry bell pepper, bird cherry pepper, Creole cherry pepper

Along with pepperoncini, this is a good pickling pepper. They are moderately hot, and range in color from orange to bright red.

chilaca pepper, chile chilaca

When dried, a chilaca pepper is called a pasilla chile. They are mild.

cuaresmeno - fresh

cuaresmeno - fresh

They are moderately hot.

Fresno pepper, Fresno chile pepper, Fresno chili pepper

These are similar to jalapeno peppers, but with thinner walls. They're great in salsas. Green Fresnos are available in the summer. the hotter red ones come out in the fall.

ghost pepper

Ghost peppers are a very hot (over 1,000,000 scovilles) hybrid between Capsicum chinese and Capsicum frutescens. It is grown and used in northern India.

green chile canned

green chile canned Learn more

guero pepper, caloro, caribe, chile guero, goldspike, Sante Fe grande

These are moderately hot.

habanero - fresh, habanero pepper

habanero - fresh

These extremely hot orange chiles have a fruity flavor. They're best in the summertime.

Holland chili, Dutch chile

These are hot.

hontaka pepper - fresh

hontaka pepper - fresh Learn more

jalapeno pepper , jalapeño Pepper

jalapeno pepper

These popular chilis have a good amount of heat and rich flavor. Green jalapenos are best in the late summer, while red jalapenos appear in the fall. Canned jalapenos aren't as fiery as fresh. When dried and smoked, this pepper is called a chipotle.

manzana chili, manzana chile

This habanero relative is often used in salsas. It has black seeds. These are hot.

mirasol pepper

Mirasol peppers have a distinctive fruity flavor. These are moderately hot. When dried, these are called Guajillo chiles.

New Mexico green chili, New Mexico chile, New Mexico red chile

New Mexico green chili

These large chilies are similar in size to Anaheims, but they're hotter. New Mexico green chilies peak in the late summer, while the hotter New Mexico red chilies appear in the fall. These are moderately hot.

piquant pepper - fresh Learn more

poblano pepper , ancho chile, pasilla pepper

These mild, heart-shaped peppers are large and have very thick walls, which make them great for stuffing. They're best in the summer. When dried, this pepper is called an Ancho chili.

rocotillo pepper

This is a small, sweet, mild pepper that looks like someone stepped on it. It's fruity-tasting like a habanero, only not nearly as hot.

rocoto chili, rocoto chile

These very hot chiles look like tiny bell peppers and have black seeds. They have an interesting fruity flavor.

Scotch bonnet chili, Scotch bonnet chile

Scotch bonnet chili

This extremely hot pepper is almost indistinguishable from the habanero, except that it's a bit smaller and has a fruitier flavor. It's popular in the Caribbean.

Serrano pepper

These have thin walls, so they don't need to be charred, steamed, and peeled before using. They are moderately hot. When dried, this is called a chile seco.

shishito chili, shishito chile

This Japanese chile is very sweet and mild with a grassy flavor. It's about two inches long.

Thai chili pepper - fresh, Thai chile pepper, bird pepper, prik chi fa

Thai chili pepper - fresh

These are extremely hot.

Turkish green pepper , sivri biber

Turkish green pepper

These are long, green, and hot chili peppers. Turks like to grill them and serve them with meat. Don't confuse this fresh pepper with the spice called Turkish pepper.

These fresh yellow peppers are long, curved, and very hot.

yellow wax pepper , Hungarian wax chile pepper, hot Hungarian wax pepper

yellow wax pepper

These are easily confused with milder banana peppers. Sample before using. They are moderately hot.